Derek Wolfe goes down, one of many concerns for Broncos

Broncos defensive lineman Derek Wolfe is loaded into an ambulance Saturday night after suffering an injury in the first quarter against the Seahawks. Wolfe was evaluated for a cervical spine injury, though he had movement in his extremities. More photos. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

SEATTLE – Preseason football may be necessary for regular-season preparation and adding four games of revenue to the NFL balance sheet.

But is it worth it? As Broncos defensive lineman Derek Wolfe was immobilized on a stretcher with fear of a spine injury early in the first quarter here Saturday night and taken off the CenturyLink Field by ambulance, the NFL preseason hardly seemed worth it.

A battery of tests on Wolfe's neck and spine injury came up negative and joined the Broncos for their long flight home to Denver. Still, the Broncos might be having trouble finding purpose in their preseason game here Saturday against the Seattle Seahawks.

The list of the Broncos' preseason struggles here Saturday can begin with the final score: a 40-10 shellacking from the Seahawks.

It's only the preseason, but two tune-up games in, the Broncos hardly look like the prohibitive Super Bowl favorites that the wise guys in Las Vegas are projecting.

“I don't know who makes those predictions and what weight those really carry,'' said quarterback Peyton Manning, who played well amid so much lackluster play around him. “But we have a lot of things we need to fix and correct. I do think there are things that are correctable. But we have to do it. We can't keep saying we're going to correct it, we've got to go out and do it.

“We need to get a few guys who have been injured back on the field. I've talked before about forming our identity and forming our chemistry on this team. We haven't had all of our players at full speed and hopefully that can start this week.''

Ryan Clady should return at left tackle this week. There's $52.5 million worth of player right there. But Manning still came through enough for the Broncos to execute Saturday and the offense fumbled it away, anyway.

Two lost fumbles occurred before the game was halfway through the second quarter – including an end zone-to-end zone fumble by running back Ronnie Hillman. Instead of a 1-yard touchdown plunge, Hillman fumbled and Seahawks' cornerback Brandon Browner picked it up in the end zone and returned it 106 yards for a touchdown. Instead of the Broncos closing to within 17-14, the Seahawks went up 24-7.

Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker dives over the goal line for an 11-yard touchdown during the first quarter of Saturday night's preseason game against the Seahawks in Seattle. More photos. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

“A learning experience,'' Hillman said. “You don't jump (on first or second down) until you put the ball over the goal line. I'll learn from it and make sure it doesn't happen again.''

If only that was the longest touchdown return of the first half. The Seahawks' Jermaine Kearse, who early in the first quarter caught a touchdown pass from Russell Wilson, returned a kickoff 107 yards for a score late in the first quarter.

The 107-yarder by Kearse and 106-yard scamper by Browner gave Seattle 213 yards worth of TD returns and a 27-7 lead midway through the second quarter.

Was Broncos coach John Fox concerned about his team's performance? Or no big whoop because it was a preseason game?

“It's all a big whoop because you're there to compete,'' Fox said. “There were some positives, some multi-play drives that ate up clock and yardage. Unfortunately we didn't get the results as far as scores.''

Wolfe was delivered to a local hospital by ambulance, which picked him up on the field. Wolfe was playing defensive end on Seattle's first offensive series with the ball at the Denver 15. Wolfe took a block to the thigh area that caused him to bend low. As Wolfe's head went down, he was blasted high by a block around the neck area.

Robert Turbin gained 8 yards on the play for a first-and-goal. Wolfe lay prone on his stomach while the Broncos' medical team attended to him with extreme caution.

Wolfe was immobilized on a stretcher then rolled into the back of an ambulance that had driven on the field. As the ambulance carrying Wolfe left the stadium, play resumed.

The Seahawks were penalized for a false start, but on the next play they scored on a touchdown pass from Wilson to Kearse.

Aside from its defense and special teams, the Broncos had a nice first quarter. The Broncos' No. 1 defense is now officially a concern. It worked one series in the preseason opener last week in San Francisco and allowed the 49ers to march 62 yards on 13 plays before settling for a field goal. The 49ers and athletic quarterback Colin Kaepernick kept the ball for more than 7 minutes.

In Denver D's first series against the Seahawks, it was kept off-balance by Wilson, another mobile quarterback, and powerful running back Robert Turbin.

Wilson used an assortment of play-action rollouts and delayed handoffs to move his Seahawks for an opening touchdown.

Wilson finished the drive with an out pass to Kearse, who badly beat cornerback Chris Harris on the play. Harris, who was left in single coverage, was starting in place of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who is expected to return next week for the Broncos' third preseason game against the St. Louis Rams.

At least the Denver D doesn't have to play Kaepernick and Wilson again this year.

“That's a good thing, they're two good quarterbacks,'' said Broncos defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson. “But it's not about what they do, it's moreso us. We need to finish better. A game like this, you take something from it and go back to the drawing board.''

Performance is one reason to worry. Players are another. Von Miller, the Broncos' star linebacker who posted 30 sacks in his first two NFL seasons, is facing a four-game, season-opening suspension. Miller is appealing and his case will be discussed with league officials Tuesday.

Miller was the Broncos' first draft choice in 2011; Wolfe was their first pick in the 2012 draft. Wolfe, who mostly rushes from the inside as a defensive tackle, had six sacks as a rookie last season.

Although it appeared Wolfe may have avoided catastrophic injury, there was enough trauma to his spine area to fear he may be out for a while.

Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey also left the stadium Saturday night on crutches with his left foot in a boot. X-rays were negative but Bailey strained the bottom middle of his foot. He will have an MRI exam on Sunday.

The Broncos' starting offensive unit seemed intent on matching their starting defense worry for worry. The first Broncos' offensive series against the Seahawks was a three-and-out.

Manning moved the team on the next possession with a 16-yard completion to Demaryius Thomas, and then a 20-yarder to tight end Julius Thomas. However, Browner stripped Julius Thomas, who fumbled it away.

The Seahawks went up 10-0 after the turnover, but this time Manning came through with one of his patented drives of precision. It started with a 12-yard completion to Wes Welker, and it finished with an 11-yard touchdown pass to the slot man Welker.

A nice drive but are the Broncos any better today because of their preseason trip to the Pacific Northwest?

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